Jason Knight has always considered himself a student of politics.

Now he's putting his education into practice.

The Barrington resident recently announced his intentions to run for the District 67 seat in the Rhode Island House of Representatives. A longtime Democrat, Mr. Knight will challenge the incumbent, Warren resident and Democrat Jan Malik, who has held the seat for about two decades.

Mr. Knight said his decision to make the leap from "student of politics" into the realm of public service can be traced to a conversation he had while at Temple Habonim on a Friday night in early May. 

Mr. Knight said he was speaking with fellow Barrington resident Jennifer Boylan, who is a volunteer with the Rhode Island chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, when the conversation turned toward her frustrations with the state's legislators. 

"She said 'You could do it,'" recalled Mr. Knight, referencing a potential run for office. "… I had never really thought about it."

That night, Mr. Knight began discussing the idea with his wife, Nicole, and before long he had decided to put his convictions to the test. He met with people involved in politics and began building a campaign website. His initial goal was to begin spreading the word about his campaign by June 1 (the same day he sat for an interview with the Barrington Times). 

On June 15, Mr. Knight issued his first political statement: "Jason Knight Calls on Jan Malik to Stand Up For Commonsense Gun Laws." The release is partly in response to the massacre at an Orlando night club on June 12. 

"We need to do something. It’s the duty of our legislators to work to ensure we have done everything possible to prevent a tragedy like this and for there to be no doubt about their motivations. That’s why I’m calling on my opponent to do the right thing — turn down the NRA’s endorsement and return any donations he’s received from the gun lobby," said Mr. Knight. "He has happily accepted money and support from the NRA and the gun lobby for years. In fact, he currently holds an A+ rating with the NRA…"

(Mr. Malik had not yet responded to Mr. Knight's release when this article was posted.)

Mr. Knight said his interest in politics started when he was growing up in Idaho. Mr. Knight said his father was a police officer and member of the military, adding that he was a "real libertarian." After he graduated from high school, Mr. Knight joined the Navy and spent eight years in the service. Some of his time was as a submariner — he was in the nuclear program and was based in Groton, Conn.

He loved the challenges posed by the military, whether it was passing the rigorous tests to be a ship's diver or graduating from the nuclear program. 

"The experience was a real eye-opener," he said. 

In 1996, Mr. Knight finished his military service and enrolled at Emerson College, where he received a bachelor's in fine arts. He later worked as a theatrical production manager, but shifted his focus to the law when he decided to start a family. He earned his law degree from Suffolk Law School and later worked as a special assistant attorney general with the Rhode Island Attorney General's office. In 2010, Mr. Knight opened his private practice, where he works defending clients who face criminal charges. 

The father of two — his daughter Talia is 13 and son Max is 10 — has realized there are three reasons he is running for office. First, he believes the state needs new voices in its legislature. He said the state's leaders too often "play politics" when they should be listening to the electorate and making tough decisions.

Mr. Knight's second reason is to bring new industry to Rhode Island. "We need to be competitive" with other states when attracting new businesses.

And his third reason is his political affiliation. Mr. Knight said he is a "Democrat who has real Democratic values." He is pro-choice and is calling for "common sense gun regulation," and a living wage for all workers.

"That's the fault line between me and my opponent," Mr. Knight said. "It is night and day."